The present disclosure generally relates to firearms, and more particularly to bolt handle assemblies for bolt action rifles.
Bolt action rifles generally include a barrel, receiver onto which the barrel is mounted, and a bolt assembly including a cylindrical breech bolt that is axially movable in a receiver for opening and closing the breech. The bolt includes locking lugs at the front end which may be rotatably locked into the rear of the barrel or front of the receiver adjacent the chamber to form a closed locked breech. The bolt may be manually rotated between the locked and unlocked positions while in the closed breech position and also moved axially forward or rearward via a handle that protrudes laterally outwards from the bolt for grasping by a user. The bolt is moved rearward for opening the breech to unload and eject spent cartridge casings from the chamber in the rear of the barrel. A new cartridge may then be inserted manually into the chamber or uploaded automatically from a magazine which is then fed into the chamber by moving the bolt forward to close the breech in preparation for firing the next round.
Bolt handles may sometimes be formed as an integral part of the unitary bolt structure or as a separate part that is mechanically attached to the bolt via a threaded connection or a welded, soldered, or brazed joint. In the former case, the fabrication and machining costs are higher than desired due to the complex configuration of the longitudinally-extending bolt with laterally projecting curved handle, which are both formed from a monolithic piece of metal. In the latter case, threads must be machined on both the handle and bolt socket which similarly increases fabrication costs. In addition, the handle may loosen during use due to the threaded connection or separate at the brazed junction.
An improved bolt handle assembly is desired for a rifle.